The Ad Fad

I would like to address the rash of clever advertising we've been seeing lately. People are so used to billboards and ads on buses and in washrooms and everywhere else that they're starting not to notice anymore. But lately we've been seeing a new breed of advertisement that attempt to integrate and relate to their environment rather than being a static entity. And I have to say, if I have to be subjected to the whims of the advertising gods, then I at least enjoy being entertained in the process. Here are some of the more clever ads I've come across in my daily internet meanderings.

A campaign by for the Dutch job search site Jobs In Town. These ads also appear on the sides of coffee machines and photobooths.


Advertising agency DDB Canada created this campaign for Toronto Plastic Surgery which allowed people to try on a new nose with their coffee. Not sure how this would work if you're skin colour was different than the one on the cup. Or if you're a man. Or if you just didn't hold the cup the right way. Neat anyway though.


Manhole covers in the streets of New York city were put to good use by Saatchi & Saatchi New York when they used them as advertising space for Folgers. The steam was a nice touch, but I'm not sure what it smelled like.


Not sure what city this is in but the ad for Friskies bird seed was created by the Portugese branch of the Leo Burnett ad agency (so maybe Lisbon?). The top of the box is filled with bird food and those are some lucky pigeons. I wonder how often they fill it up.


Here are a couple more that I've already posted about but that I feel are relevant here. This one is for the UK strip club Stringfellows:


And this one is for 3M security glass:


Via Fosfor, The Cool Hunter, Gothamist and a bunch of others, I'm sure.

ETA: For more, see The Ad Fad: Addendum.